Skip to content

Becoming a 2 basenji house...tips?

Basenji Talk
  • Currently have a 2 yr old basenji male and picking up a 9 week old basenji girl to join the family! Any tips or stories about the first few weeks with 2 basenjis at home together would be appreciated!

  • At the time I was bringing home an 8-week old basenji male into a house with an 8-year-old basenji female. The most practical advice I got was from the breeder. The breeder stated that I should introduce them (given the known issues I had in the past with my girl not permitting other dogs around her things) by walking in the door, setting the puppy down and immediately going over to my 8-year-old girl and greeting her in the normal manner. It helped that my good friend was at the house and keeping her occupied. My new puppy eventually found his way over to us and although she was startled to see him, she went to him, smelled him and then played with him.

    The bottom line is that her advice was to make the situation as nonchalant as possible. And it worked. They have become the best of friends... mostly :)

  • Be ready for the noise, it will sound like the puppy is being murdered.... remember the tips when you have a puppy and mouthing issues.... yelp loudly .... that is what the adult basenji is doing... teaching the pup manners... unless you see real reason that the pup is being hurt, don't let them work it out.

  • @tanza said in Becoming a 2 basenji house...tips?:

    unless you see real reason that the pup is being hurt, don't let them work it out.

    Pretty sure she meant DO let them work it out. :)

    Congrats on your new puppy!

  • My boy was so lonely we got him his half sister the next year. At first he thought cool something to play with. The first night he was like, shut it and let me go to sleep. The next day after being chewed on all night he looked at me like ok when is she going home? That night he was depressed like I get it she is never leaving. The next day we went to work and put them in a giant kennel together. We came home, she had. Bruise on her hip and they had worked it out. Best friends until the day they died. My current basenjis are litter mates, we got one and the breeder kept one. 5 years later out beagle died and we needed another dog for our basenji. I brought him home and hey looked at each other sniffed and curled up on the couch together. Basenjis are very pack oriented and would rather have a buddy then be alone. They are very easy to introduce new animals to. Good luck!

  • @Sass7656 said in Becoming a 2 basenji house...tips?:

    The next day we went to work and put them in a giant kennel together. We came home, she had. Bruise on her hip and they had worked it out. ... Basenjis are very pack oriented and would rather have a buddy then be alone. They are very easy to introduce new animals to. Good luck!<

    I am very glad you had a good experience. But anyone reading your post needs to know you lucked out. You could easily have come home to a dead puppy. Basenjis may or may not easily meet another dog.. it depends on the dog and on the dog they are meeting. Please never assume that your style of introduction is in any way a safe one or what any breeder or trainer would recommend. Locked in and having to "work it out" is a recipe for a disaster.

  • @DebraDownSouth - Thanks Debra, exactly what I meant

  • @Sass7656 - Many a Basenji would prefer to be only dogs..... and certainly I agree with crate training, I do not believe in leave 2 in one crate regardless of the size.... next to each other but in separate crates.... I agree with Debra, you could have just as easily come home to a disaster....

Suggested Topics

  • Receiving new Basenji puppy Monday 2/11/19

    Basenji Talk
    18
    0 Votes
    18 Posts
    4k Views
    RGK9RulerR
    @theoriginaldev your life as you know it will never be the same! Patience, consistency, a firm but gentle hand, with a sense of humor is what you are going to need for the duration of the life of your precious gift. WELCOME home little one!! :)
  • Basenji

    Basenji Talk
    4
    -1 Votes
    4 Posts
    2k Views
    D
    Where I am it costs about $2K+ for a dog from a breeder for just about any breed. Goldens may be less because the litters are so large. That may seem like a lot, but, as Debra mentions, dogs cost money to care for. After vet bills and boarding fees and food, it matters little what the dog cost to acquire. Leaving true puppy mills out of the discussion, given the costs of being a responsible breeder -- testing, vet bills, feeding -- and how much work breeding is, I can't imagine anyone doing it for the money. That leads to two problems for people looking for dogs. One is that since breeding isn't really lucrative, there aren't a ton of breeders, which means the supply of pups is low. Second is that most Basenji breeders want to place their pups in the best possible homes -- remember they aren't doing it for the money -- which means they're looking for people who have had Basenjis before. Something of a Catch-22.
  • Have 2 basenjis

    Basenji Talk
    4
    0 Votes
    4 Posts
    3k Views
    K
    Or take them both, and be relaxed about it all. The less anxiety in you, the calmer they will be.
  • Boston Terrier 2, Basenji Energizer Bunny no limit

    Basenji Talk
    6
    0 Votes
    6 Posts
    2k Views
    QuercusQ
    @MacPack: I learned some years ago that black basenjis get much hotter than reds, that black coat absorbs the sun. My 14 year old red girl was going strong when the 1 1/2 year old black boy drug us under a tree and threw himself down in the cool grass, panting. I always take water along, and try and make sure they aren't overheated, but I see so many people out running with a dog (here in Florida) with no water for the dog. It makes me sad and angry! Also among red basenjis, some can stand the heat much better than others. One of my girls, her son, and also her mother wilt very easily in the heat. They pant easily, and like to seek out the shade quickly.
  • Is this a basenji?

    Basenji Talk
    37
    0 Votes
    37 Posts
    9k Views
    DukeD
    @phoenix3: Looks like a B to me but i think more of a B mix he looks like he has corse hair Maybe be has the size of a cattledog body and a basenji head :) My Aspen is a cattledog/ terrier mix he has the body of a cattledog {the colors} and the height and face of a terrier heres a pic so u can see the colors of the cattledog well one color anyways :D :D phoenix3 - this is Aspen? I'm so amazed at her spots, because my Daisy has spots like Aspens. We know her mother is pure R/W Basenji and she is thought her other half Beagle. One of her other litter mate moms thought Blue Healer (cattledog). But I subscribed to the Beagle. Daisy could be … Cattle Dog I suppose. She's bigger than Duke now at almost 9 months old. I will show her off soon on "Show Off" forum soon.
  • Dominance between 2 Basenjis

    Basenji Talk
    31
    0 Votes
    31 Posts
    10k Views
    MantisM
    at the dog park occasionally you will see a dog fight in the larger breeds, they typically play rougher…..more chomping action vs. basenji boxing.... the typical dog park protocol is pulling them apart, or the safe route is the bucket of water....total distraction! can you imagine doing that with basenjis.....screams like little girls!! LOL